Pottstown couple pleads guilty to removing baby from hospital

ALLENTOWN — A Pottstown couple who removed their sick baby from Lehigh Valley Hospital after unsuccessfully trying to have her transferred to another hospital pleaded guilty Wednesday to endangering the welfare of a child.

Under the plea deal, April Saul, 42, and Daniel Rivera, 43, were spared jail time and instead were sentenced to two years of probation by Lehigh County Judge Maria Dantos.

“Good luck with your daughter,” Dantos told the Pottstown couple.

The couple originally wanted to have their daughter at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia because of a heart defect, but Saul went into labor early while in the Lehigh Valley.

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Aralynn Saul-Rivera was born July 18, 2012, at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Salisbury Township.

Lehigh County Deputy District Attorney Matthew Falk said since her birth, Aralynn was in the neonatal intensive care unit because of a hole in her heart and other health problems; she had her breathing, heartbeat and temperature constantly monitored.

“She was a very sick child,” Falk said.

Saul said the couple had been waiting more than three months for Aralynn to be transferred because Lehigh Valley didn’t have the specialist the baby required. Falk said insurance wouldn’t pay for the transfer; Saul contends the hospital never formally asked for a transfer.

After numerous meetings with staff and submitting letters to the hospital, the couple decided to take her to the Philadelphia hospital themselves, Saul said.

“This was not our first choice in how to get our child to CHOP,” Saul said in court Wednesday. “I never intended any harm to Aralynn. ... I was terrified as a mother.”

Saul, who called The Mercury Thursday to tell her side of the story, said, “I wish it never played out like this. It is a sad day for parents in this country when you don’t have a say in the health care of your child.”

According to reports from court, Saul said she removed the monitors from the 3-month-old baby. Falk said nurses, a nursing supervisor and a doctor told the couple not to leave with the child and there was yelling and chaos in the neonatal intensive care unit.

“Against medical advice they took the child and left,” Falk said.

Thirty-five minutes later, the couple was stopped at Seventh and Hamilton streets in Allentown, Falk said. The baby was taken back to the hospital by ambulance, police said.

However, Saul said Thursday that she never took the monitor off her daughter and that, “I don’t conduct myself like that.”

In court Rivera said their daughter was scheduled to be released from the hospital the week they took her and they were concerned about bringing their daughter home.

“They let their emotions get out of control and acted inappropriately. I don’t think it was from a bad place,” said defense attorney Amy Sonin.

Saul said the day after they took Aralynn a lower court agreed the child should be transferred to CHOP and a court order was entered. Aralynn had her heart surgery in January at CHOP. Saul said her daughter had a checkup last week and her heart “is 100 percent.”

Now 14 months old, Aralynn receives 24/7 nursing care, Saul said. She is crawling and developing, but is about three months behind other children due to her Down syndrome, Saul said.

“Everything I do every day is for her,” a tearful Saul said in court. “She is blossoming.”

After their arrest, Saul said, online groups rallied around them and the couple received encouragement from other parents.

“All of the stress, time and engery is taking the focus away from our daughter,” Saul said.

Saul said the couple only finalized their decision Tuesday to plead guilty in the case.

“You do whatever it takes, as a parent,” Saul said. “At this point we need some peace. We want to move on with our lives.”

About the Author

Caroline Sweeney formerly worked as the police reporter for the Pottstown Mercury. She is no longer on staff. If you wish to contact anyone at The Mercury about her stories, please call our main number at 610-323-3000 and ask for the editorial department. Reach the author at csweeney@pottsmerc.com
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